Zoos

The Asa Zoological Park opened on September 1, 1971. The park was founded by Hiroshima City and built in the northern suburb of Asa after its citizens expressed a strong desire to have a local zoo. In 1986, management of the zoo was transferred from the city and entrusted in the Hiroshima City Zoo Association. Today, the zoo is home to around 160 species of land animals from Asia, Africa and Europe. In total, 1,500 land animals are part of its collection as well as some 5,000 fish.

Fukuyama City Zoo is located 15 km northwest of Fukuyama Station. While considerably smaller than the prefecture's other zoo, Hiroshima Asa Zoological Park, its newer sections offer as good as or better experience. From 1999, it under went an extensive renewal with a major building or exhibit built nearly every year for a while.

Takasakiyama Natural Zoological Garden is a monkey park near Beppu in Oita Prefecture. It is located across from Umitamago Aquarium. It is run like an open-air zoo exclusively for Japanese macaques (or snow monkeys). The monkeys roam freely. There are no cages or fences separating you from the cute baby monkeys clinging to their moms and the aggressive dominant males charging around.

The Tama Zoological Park is world renowned for thinking outside of the box when it comes to displaying animals. Very few zoos in the world come as close as Tama Zoo to giving the same thrill of seeing the animals and watching how they interact in the wild. Its sprawling 52 ha (129 acres) of rolling hills and valleys in western Tokyo are well put to use showing a relatively small number of species but in large natural environments. Sometimes, less really is more.

In 1882, the first zoological park in Japan opened its gates in Ueno Park to the people of Tokyo. Fittingly, the park was also the first in Japan as well. While we're on the topic, the monorail which ferries people between the east and west side was yet another first for Japan. Construction on it finished in 1957. This all adds up to make Ueno Zoo the most famous and prestigious zoo in Japan. It celebrates its birthday on March 20 with free admission for all every year. Free days also occur on Greenery Day and Tokyo City Day.